Review: Big Girl Panties

Big Girl Panties by Stephanie Evanovich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Holly isn't a model. She is overweight and unsure of herself. So when she finds herself sitting next to a pretty boy famous man, Logan Montgomery, she thought to herself that he doesn't want to sit next to someone who can't even fit into the seat. And Logan is thinking the same thing. But then Holly and Logan start talking, and Holly isn't like anyone else he has ever met.

So he invites Holly to start training with him. Calling her his ugly duckling. Holly surprises everyone, including herself at how far she comes, in addition to weight also to what it does for her confidence.

Enter Logan's best friend Chase and his wife Amanda, the matchmaking pair. But will it all blow up on them?

This read was a lot of fun. Until I got to the end. Felt as if it was predictable and wrapped up too neatly. Although fun, don't get me wrong. Totally enjoyable! Just predictable, hence the 4 stars!

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Review: Women of a Dangerous Age

Women of a Dangerous Age: A Novel by Fanny Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I fell in love with this book shortly after page 1 and the sadness I feel now that is over is so great! I just loved Lou and Ali. At first, my nose went up with Ali. I mean who really likes a serial mistress? But Ali is easily liked! And Lou, after all those years of marriage, things aren't easily undone.

Lou and Ali meet on a trip to India and become friends quickly. Lots of scenes will have you laughing out loud, Lou's suitcase popping open in the airport comes to mind! Lou is divorcing her husband Hooker and is starting a boutique with her vintage clothing. Ali's recent married man has asked her to move in with him, and he is leaving his wife.

Well Lou gets a famous idea of having Ali go into business with her, selling her jewelry at the boutique. So they meet to discuss the business, and they see Ali's married man, and Lou's soon to be ex-husband. Yes they are the same person! Hooker is Ian. Ahhhh!!!!! And the drama begins. Hooker is a liar and a terrible husband but a good father. That is why and how he can play on Lou's sympathy.

Will Ali settle for married men her whole life? Will Lou be able to resist Hooker's charm? All this and more in this wonderful book that is so hard to put down, I had to do a couple of chores and come back for a few more chapters... Enjoy!! Perfect beach read to take enjoying these last few days of summer!!!

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads First Read program in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: A Step of Faith

A Step of Faith by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The walk continues! Find out how Alan is doing, if he will even be able to finish his walk, or if this brain tumor changes everything for him.

Halfway through, and a brain tumor! Can you believe it? Then I started thinking, halfway through, what will he do when he is done? And it seems love is in the air, a three way triangle even.

I loved this book in particular, I loved the strange people that let other people tell them what to do, and call them master. Gag. And I loved the swamp!

But, now here we are another dilemma at the end. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so I am NOT going to say anything. But this one was my favorite, Alan is sooooo close to Key West. Will he ever get to finish, or does he even need to? Did he work out on his walk what he needed to in his mind?

The only thing I wish differently for, is that we wouldn't have to wait another year!!!!!!!

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Friday Review: The Road to Grace

The Road to Grace by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Doesn't this book make you want to walk? I mean, I love how much he is learning about the world, and about himself!

Alan lost his wife after she died of an infection from falling off of a horse. Then he lost his home and business, so 2 days after the funeral, he starts walking to Key West, Florida, only because it is the furthest from Seattle without using a boat.

On his journey, as we have learned in the previous 2 books, he has endured a mugging and plenty of other things. So on this trip, he ends up getting really dizzy and passing out on the side of the road. Being told in a hospital that he has vertigo, he ends up staying at a gentleman's house for a day or 2 until he was better to keep walking.

Only to end up dizzy again, passing out, and waking up in a St. Louis hospital. Don't want to tell any more than that, you will have to read it to find out what he is doing there. But then it cliff hangs and you will have to read book 4 to find out the verdict!

I love each of these walks, and this one in particular because McKale's mom is following Alan, even though she is so not a walker. What does she want from him? Why won't she just leave him alone. And can Alan give her what she wants?

Just love this series, I think it is so wonderful written! Don't miss out!!!!

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Review: Life After Life

Life After Life: A Novel by Jill McCorkle
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Gosh darn it! I hate not finishing a book, but halfway through, I just can't read one more page.

And I was so looking forward to this book. But when you can't tell who is talking, or even what this book is about, time to give up the ghost. And I am thinking by reading this page, literally!

Abby, a young girl who's mom seems very cruel, I think she had something to do with the disappearance of her dog. And her relationship with her dad, I enjoyed. Sad to say, beyond her, I am not sure really what was going on. I think I enjoyed at the beginning, the nursing home grabbed me, but it quickly loosened its grip, as the story just went in too many directions, too quickly.

Never introduce so many people so quickly and have it so all over the place!

Maybe after being gone from the book world for so long, they were anxious to put out a book by McCorkle, and pushed instead of letting it develop properly.

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Review: Becoming Myself

Becoming Myself: A Woman's Journey of Transformation by Stasi Eldredge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Stasi's book, Captivating so I was eager to get my hands on her newest, Becoming Myself. But then, silently you think to yourself, do I really want to put myself through all this pain? The answer, YES. Anything we can do to help our walk with our Lord and Savior, should always be a ready challenge.

Stasi covers so many points in this book, you will want to keep this book close by for easy reference.

A few verses I think really every woman should know:

Romans 8:38-39 - 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Cor. 5:21 - 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Make sure you have your Bible close, so you can reference these verses too. Don't just breeze through this book, really read it and take it in. God has so many plans for all of us, but first we have to get to that place where we fully ourselves, and fully His. (as Stasi says)

At the end, she has a ramsomed heart daily prayer, and if you have never accepted God as your Savior, a prayer of salvation as well.

Enjoy this book, it will be a blessing to so many I know! I recommend this book for each lady. What a neat gift to give your mom, grandma, sister, friends, every lady you know!

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Favorite author alert!!!

Chick lit author Michele Gorman has a women’s fiction alter-ego Known for her best-selling chick lit (the Single in the City series and Bella Summer Takes a Chance), Michele also writes women’s fiction under the name Jamie Scott and today sees the re-launch of her first novel, Little Sacrifices. This atmospheric, evocative depiction of the American South may just be the perfect summer read for fans of The Secret Life of Bees or To Kill A Mockingbird. ABOUT THE BOOK How much would you risk to stand up for your beliefs? When the Powell family moves to Savannah Georgia in the late 1940s, they hope against hope that they'll be welcomed. But they're Northerners and worse, they're civil rights advocates almost a decade too early. The American South is deeply segregated. At first their daughter, May, can pretend they're the same as everyone else. It means keeping quiet when she knows she should speak up, but it's worth the sacrifice to win friends. Unfortunately her parents are soon putting their beliefs into action. And when they wake to find that they're the only family on the block with a Ku Klux Klan cross blazing on their front lawn, the time comes for them to finally decide between what's easy and what's right. HOW IT BEGINS “Fifty–five years has made me a Savannahian by inclination if not origin. Everyone who meets me hears the taffy pull drawl of a native and feels the Southern hospitality for which we are known. They are surprised to find that I was once a Yankee, so well have I acclimated. The process began when we moved, but will never really be complete.” -- Bella Summer Takes a Chance Sometimes the life you walk away from doesn't let you walk away